A PIECE of life-saving equipment has been made available to members of the public in Ramsbottom town centre.

A defibrillator ­— which gives an electric shock to a patient in the event of a cardiac arrest ­— has been installed at Ramsbottom Civic Hall thanks to a donation from Mersey Medical Services Ltd.

The device was presented to the Friends of Ramsbottom Civic Hall (FORCH) by Phillip Warren, the company’s finance and sales director, last month.

Bury Council has taken on the responsibility for its installation and maintenance.

The defibrillator is designed to be simple to use by means of simple audio and visual commands. However, Mersey Medical Services are running training sessions to help people become more confident in using the device.

The hall regular hosts dance and fitness classes, including ones targeted at over 50s, as well as public events, such as music concerts.

The nearest defibrillator was previously across a busy junction in Bolton Street, so it was decided that a closer one was necessary in order to be reached quicker.